Cassie, whistles time for rugby conversion
Cassie Watt can lay claim to a 135-year Southland rugby first.
On Thursday night Watt created history by becoming the first female referee to referee a premier men’s club rugby fixture in Southland.
Rugby officials hope the special moment will continue to break down some perceived barriers and highlight to other females that there is a pathway for them in the sport.
‘‘It was a very special opportunity and it just shows it can be done,’’ Watt said about officiating in the Star-Midlands game at Rugby Park in Invercargill.
‘‘The number of people who messaged saying they were proud and they were excited; I had a big support crew watching.’’
The tale of Watt’s rise to one of Southland rugby’s leading referees is a remarkable one.
Watt decided to take up refereeing in 2009 for some exercise and also as a way to meet new people. Although there was a catch.
‘‘I literally had no idea about rugby . . . For someone who did not know what a knock-on was in my first game, to be able to head out to do a premier game [on Thursday night] was pretty special.’’
Her first game as a referee in 2009 was at under-10 level where she shadowed Rugby Southland’s then referee development officer Tony Kelly.
For the past 13 years, Watt has stuck at it, pouring a huge number of hours into learning the game.
By 2014 she was already making history when she became the first woman to referee a senior men’s final in the province, which was at the divisiontwo level.
Two years on she stepped up a grade to division one, before close to six years on she got her shot at holding the whistle in a premier fixture.
And after Thursday night, Watt is now eager for more opportunities at that level.
She could not fault the way the Star and Midlands teams treated her in her historic debut.
‘‘It was the most well-behaved I have seen two teams in recent times, they were awesome. They were really great.’’
For the past three years, Watt has been coached by Hamish McMurdo and he was one of the many who watched on proudly at Rugby Park on Thursday night.
McMurdo believed what Watt had achieved was a massive step forward for Southland in the quest to entice more females into refereeing or the game in general.
‘‘She has put in an awful lot of work to get to that level and I think it is good for everyone really.’’
While Thursday night was Watt’s first taste of refereeing a premier men’s club game, she had already refereed in the Farah Palmer Cup – New Zealand’s premier women’s provincial rugby competition.
She also officiated in this year’s inaugural Super Rugby Aupiki women’s competition alongside other female referees.
‘‘Refereeing is a minority sport and also being a female in rugby is even more of a minority.
‘‘So having us all together, that was just so cool.’’
‘‘I had a big support crew watching.’’